Monday, January 07, 2008

New Feature: MMA Weekly Wrap-up!

Welcome to a new feature here at TDA Training. Every week, I'll be bringing you the 'Best of the Web' in the World of Combat Sports.

We'll check out the the big news, stories, rumors, and excitement from the UFC, IFL, WEC, Bodog Fight, or anywhere else even remotely related.

We'll be reviewing the best MMA and Combat Sport sites on the web and add our own viewpoints into the mix. But don't just settle with our opinions; Be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think as well.

Now enough of the intro... In the works of 'Big' John McCarthy, "Let's get IT on!"

MATT SERRA VS. ?

Well, all of the talk this week is from the fallout of the UFC 79 fight held in Las Vegas, December 29th, where Chuck Liddel and Wanderlei Silva put on one of the best fights of the year. Liddel came up with a tough, but much needed win.

However, the most of the buzz is about someone who didn't fight at all that night; Matt Serra. (Serra was to fight former champ, Matt Hughes, that night, but was forced to sit it out due to a severe back injury. Instead, he ended up watching the fight at Madison Square Garden.)

The winning of the interim UFC Welterweight title, instead went to Georges St-Pierre with a second round, arm bar submission over Hughes. It was a great victory for St-Pierre, who earlier this year had suffered a knock-out loss to Serra. Although the Canadian, St-Pierre has won the admiration of many fans here in the US, there's still a bitter, unsatisfied taste in the victory.

The last season of Spike TV's Ultimate Fighter featured Serra and Hughes as coaches. Both engaged in taunting and baiting one another throughout the show. The UFC 79 was to feature a 'grudge match' between the two fighters. A Serra/Hughes match was anticipated by all.

Yet an earlier loss... a knockout loss, to Serra also left George St-Pierre badly wanting a rematch as well.

It seems everyone now wants a piece of Serra. But has his back injury healed? (A herniated disk is an awful injury for a grappler - If you can't move your core/your back, you can't fight.) And what about his training? CagePotato.com reports that Serra may be terribly out of shape following the injury and possibly weighs over 200lbs.

So, will who will Serra fight, if anyone? Well , CagePotato.com reports that Serra has agreed to fight George St-Pierre in April in Pierre's homeland of Canada. (I guess the Belt's more important than the grudge.)

This could be a really tough match for Serra. St-Pierre is now at the top of his game, fighting in his own back yard, fresh off of a big win against Hughes, and anxious to hold on to his Welterweight Title. Good luck Serra. Train hard, take care of that back, and stay healthy... we all still want to see a Hughes match-up sometime soon!

6. Forrest Griffin (One of the next Coaches for Spike TV's Ultimate Fighter)

5. Georges St-Pierre

4. Frankie Edgar

3. Randy Couture (I'd personally have made him #1, but he's had a bit of a falling out with the UFC lately)

2. Anderson Silva

And #1... Quinton Jackson - A fighter who's certainly earned all the respect he's now receiving and who will also be coaching the next season of Ultimate Fighter.

In addition to the UFC's rankings, I'd like to make a few Honorable Mentions myself.

First, Toughest Vegetarian of the Year goes to The Ultimate Fighter Winner, Mac Danzig.

MMAFighting.com tells us that Mac has teamed up with PETA. (The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to bring awareness of the vegetarian lifestyle.

Danzig, who is a vegan, (No meat, dairy, or poultry products.) has chosen to use his newfound fame to champion the the fight for animal rights and is doing his part to show that vegetarians are not all a bunch of tofu-snacking weaklings.

I try not to push my own personal or political beliefs in the posts that I write, but as a vegetarian myself, I have enormous respect for what Mac is doing.

Which brings me to my next mention... Sexiest Vegetarian. I again agree with PETA that Carrie Underwood is definitely this years sexiest vegetarian.

Okay, I admit that this has nothing to do with martial arts...I just wanted to post a picture of Carrie while my wife was out of the room! Can you blame me?

See, vegetarians aren't all sickly, hippy-types either... some of them are really HOT!

Finally, and back to being serious, I'd like to give the Coolest MMA Fighter of the Year award to Anderson Silva, who has donated the entire proceeds from a recent auction of his gloves and trunks used at UFC 77 (selling at over $10,000) to the Ronald McDonald House Charity. As UFC.com reports, even with the fame, Anderson Silva remembers 'where he came from; His first job was working at a McDonalds.

Definitely a classy move Silva.

(However, still no report on exactly why someone would spend $10,000 on pair of used MMA fighter shorts.)

"KIMBO SLICE" FERGUSON TO FIGHT "TANK" ABBOTT

Sherdog.com reports that Kevin Ferguson (aka 'Kimbo Slice from his backyard brawl videos on YouTube.com) will fight David "Tank" Abbott, a man also known for his streetfighting past, on February 16th in Miami, FL.

As I've already written about my feelings about video taping fights and posting them at TDA Training's Sister Site, kicksboxes; I don't even know if I should be mentioning this match. I don't want young fighters to get the wrong idea and try to follow in Ferguson's footsteps.

But, as DojoRat has pointed out, Ferguson has made a lot of changes lately, (Training hard, working with Bas Rutten, etc.) so I hope he makes good on his turn around.

Still, let me give you this prediction: I'm almost certain Ferguson will win this fight and he's already starting to make some serious money...

But, it's only a matter of time before some of the people he beat up in those YouTube.com fights come crawling back with lawyers looking for a payday. And they'll get it too. After all, the evidence is plain as day on the Internet.

"Kimbo" your past will return to haunt you.

MMA ON PRIMETIME

This last week also showed Tito Ortiz in Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. (Didn't this show 'jump the shark' about 2 seasons ago?")

Tito managed to survive the first show without being "fired," but UFC ring-girl and former Playboy Playmate/ 2001 Miss Georgia, Tiffany Fallon was not so lucky.

Also on NBC, Woman's MMA Gina Carano, a female MMA fighter with a record of 5-0-0 with 3 wins by K.O./Submission, made her debut on NBC's American Gladiators under the silly Gladiator name "Crush."

For anyone not familiar with her, here's a quick interview with Gina before a match on Showtime.

Now, I can kinda understand why Gina Carano would make the move to a cheesy television show; Female fighters simply don't get enough respect or money for what they do.

Besides, she's beautiful, with the right exposure, she could end up on a real show, or in the movies, or something.

But, what would make Tito Ortiz sign up for one of these Game/Reality/Freak shows? Ortiz, like him or not, he is a serious athlete, a champion, and a legend in Mixed Martial Arts competition. Certainly he could do better.

Perhaps his new girlfiend, 'crossover' porn star - Jenna Jameson, has been directing his career moves.

THE SILENT ASSASIN RETURNS IN UFC 82

MMAMania.com reports that the welterweight finalist from Season Two of The Ultimate Fighter, Luke Cummo (6-4) will take on Luigi Fioravanti (11-3) at UFC 82 to be held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

As a big fan of Cummo and his unorthodox style of fighting, I can't wait to see him fight again. Although Cummo is on a two fight winning streak and Fioravanti has suffered losses in his last two fights, this still promises to be a good match, with both fighters hungry for recognition and respect. (You can find out more about Cummo at LukeCummo.com, and even join his forum where he talks about his preparation for the upcoming fight... along with a whole lot of other weird topics.)

Oh yeah, also on the card for UFC 82 is Anderson Silva vs. the former Pride champion, Dan Henderson in the 185lbs division. Henderson willl certainly have his work cut out for him in the Octagon.